Loading apparatus



Aug. 18, 1953 E. J. MERTES LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1949Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES rATENT" oFF cE Edward J. Mertes,Chicago, 111. assignor to Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa a. corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application November 15, 1949, Serial N 0. 127,415 I 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for loading materialwith a conveyor table, and more particularly refers to an apparains andmethod for loading relatively heavy objects into closed-top trucks andthe like.

The loading for shipment of heavy objects such as steel products,machines and the like requires mechanical means. Most warehouses andshops where such material is handled are provided with overhead cranesor make use of mobile equipment such as industrial tractors equippedwith lifting or hoisting means. Although all of these devices are.useful, none of them are entirely satisfactory for loading material intoclosed-top vehicles such as motor trucks or railroad box cars. Theinteriors of such vehicles are inaccessible to overhead hoists and onlypartially accessible at best to lift trucks, boom trucks or the like.Conveyor tables are? quite useful in loading material intoclosed-top'vehicles as these tables may be introduced far enough intothe vehicle body to deliver the objects to be loaded at the closed endand then gradually withdrawn as'the vehicle body is filled up. However,conveyor tables capable of accommodating heavy objects are themselvesheavy in construction and not easy to maneuver and position within avehicle body. Prior to my invention these have generally been positionedmanually or by a combination of mechanical and manual'means, such as anoverhead crane and workers onthe floor. To the best of my knowledge noentirely mechanical means for positionin'g these tables or methodofloading vehicles with them was available.

" It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provideapparatus which adapts an industrial tractor for the transportingand'positioning of conveyor tables, particularly positioning withincovered vehicles, withoutinanual assistance, so that the loading thereofis facilitated.

My invention makes use of an industrial tractor of the type commonlyused in warehouses and the like for handling and transporting materials.I employ a tractor equipped with a forwardly projecting boom and a hoistcable running over this boom and wound on a winch, which is generallypower driven. Tractors of this type,veither gasoline or electricallydriven, are Well known. I provide such a tractor at its front end with amechanical engaging and lifting device which, in conjunction with thehoist, may be used to ick ups conveyor table, move it over to a truckor-othervehicle to be loaded, and position the conveyor table forloading material into the truck.

be-gdescribed- 2 A present preferred embodimentv of, my invention willnow be described with referencetoFigures l, 2, 3-and 4 of theaccompanying drawing, inwhich: I I I; I

-Figure l is aside elevational view of an embodiment of my inventionillustratin operational relationships thereof in association with aconveyor table and-a vehicle to be loaded. I

Figure 2 is a diagrammatical view of a portion of, my apparatusillustrating certain operating parts. I

FigureS is a side elevational view of aportion of a conveyor tableillustrating certain constructional features. I I s Figure 4 is adiagrammatical view in cross section of a portion of my apparatusthrough the plane IV--I V of Figure 2.

, In these figures, is illustrated an industrial tractor of conventionaltype, generally denominated i. This tractor is provided with a boom 2,which projects forwardly and may be raised or lowered by appropriateoperating means 3. This boom carries a hoist cable 4 which terminates at1ts front end in a hook arrangement 5, and at its other endin; a powerdriven winch which is not illustrated; A conveyor table 6 is illustratedpositioned in the open endof aclosed-top truck body 7. The conveyortable 6 consists essentially of a pair ofiside rails 8 supporting aplurality of rollers?) over which the objects to be loaded travel. Thistableis provided with rollers S-Aon the bottom atone end, and legs ID atthe other. I I I I I The tractor l is provided with a forwardly proecting arm H- pivoted on a bracket l2 attached to the front of thetractor frame This arm. carries an arcuatesection or spur-I 3 the end ofwhich: is attached by a spring I4 to the tractor frame. Theupperend ofarm H is formed into a hook I5 ,having'a relatively widenotch I6, and anupright stop i l. The arcuate spur i3 is provided with a slotiii which,when the arm II is in an upright position, is engaged by a dog l9plvoted on. cross member 2 about pivot 25 and raised by a rqdwoperatedbya lever arm 2|. This slot {8 and dog I9 form a detent which holds thearm H inianlupright-position. A pair of guide plates 22 are; fastened tothe frameof the tractorl in suchposition asto engage the end oft-heconveyortable 6 when it is elevated, as will For certain purposes to bedescribed, it is convenient to use a conveyor tablet provided with aledgelor lip 23 ,at the end inserted within the Ysh s i9 51?? eaded. a iSha m'Fisur 3 This ledge is a short platform fixed at a level somewhatbelow that of the top of the side rails 8 of the conveyor table.

The operation of my apparatus will now be described, also with referenceto the accompanying figures. The conveyor table '6, when not in use,

.is normally stored with its legs Ill resting on the floor and its otherend supported so that its bed is more or less horizontal. When it isdesired to use this conveyor, the operator of the tractor I brings itaround into the position relative to the conveyor table shown in Figurel of the drawing. The tractor is then moved forward slowly, pushing therounded nose of the projecting hook I5 under the rear cross member ofthe conveyor frame. As the forward motion of the tractor continues, therear cross member of the conveyor finally strikes the projection I1 andthen pushes back the pivoted member I I. This movement of the pivotedarm II raises the rear of the conveyor clear of the floor, and when thearm I I reaches an upright position the dog I9, which is pivoted on thecross member 24 and rests on the arcuate projection I3, drops into theslot I8, locking the arm II against any further motion. In its lockedposition the notch I 6 of the hook supports the rear cross member of theconveyor table, and the upper face of this rear cross member engages theforwardly projecting guide plates 22. The conveyor is thus securely heldand prevented from tipping.

When the rear of the conveyor table is thus secured, the tractoroperator attaches the hook 5 to the conveyor table at a point as shownby the broken lines of Figure 1, some distance beyond the endoi' theboom. It is convenient to have a lug provided on the conveyor table forthis purpose. The operator then starts the tractor winch and raises thefront endof the conveyor table from its support. The horizontalcomponent of tension in the cable 4 holds the rear cross member of theconveyor table in the notch I6, against the stop I1, and the conveyortable sosupported can be transportedby the tractor to any desiredlocation. When the table is properly aligned with the opening in thetruck or car to be loaded, it is pushed into the vehicle the desiredamount by the tractor, its front end lowered into position by means ofthe cable 4 and associated winch, and the table is then completelydisengaged from the tractor. This is accomplished: by the operator'sraising of the lever 2| which releases the dog I 9 from the slot I8,and. permits the pivoted member II- to drop forward. The tractormay thenbe backed away from the conveyor table.

The tension spring I! counterbalancesthe weight of the forwardlyprojecting arm II, the hook I5 and its associated spur I3, and allowsthe hook, when disengaged, to fall to the position shown in Figure 1.This spring is adjusted so that the nose of the hook l5 normally clearsthe rear cross member of the conveyor table '6 when the legs I-fl' ofthe latter are resting on the ground. As shown, the hook I 5 has aroundednose portion which, together with the spring I4, compensates forslightmisalignments of the hook I 5 and the conveyor table cross member.If the hook I5 does not clear the rear cross member of the conveyortable as the tractor is brought up into position, its rounded nose ispushed down by the conveyor table rear cross member, the spring 14stretching sumci'ently to permit such displacement. Further forwardmotion of the tractor I then-brings the hook into proper position. The

spring I4 also permits disengagement of the hook I5 from the conveyortable when some misalignment is present, as, when the tractor is backedoff, it permits the hook to be pulled down until it releases theconveyor table.

The above-described apparatus may be used to load heavy objects by anovel process. In this process the conveyor table is placed intoposition in the vehicle to be loaded. The objects to be loaded are thenplaced on the end of the conveyor table outside the truck. Conveyortables used for loading vehicles are generally constructed with a slopeinsuflicient to permit the objects to be loaded to travel by gravityinto the vehicle. This construction is preferred so that relativelyheavy objects to be loaded, which must be placed on the conveyor tableby a crane or other means, will remain stationary while the sling orother lifting tackle is removed. The conventional practice then is topush these objects along the conveyor table into the vehicle, generallyby manual means. In the process of my invention, after the object isplaced upon the outside end of the conveyor table, an industrial tractorequipped as previously described, or other means, is caused to engagethe conveyor table and lift it clear of the floor. The entire conveyortable with its load. is then propelled forward into the truck body ashort distance and suddenly stopped. The inertia of the object on theconveyor table causes it to continue forward along the conveyor tableand into the vehicle. The conveyor table is then brought out again toits original position and a second object to be loaded is placed uponit, and the process is repeated.

Where it is desired to load heavy objects into the remote end of avehicle, the previously described process may be somewhat modified. Thismodified process makes use of a conveyor table provided with a ledge atits inner end, as shown in Figure 3. Objects are loaded upon the outerend of such a conveyor table and caused to travel along the conveyorinto the vehicle as described in the preceding paragraph. The conveyortable is manipulated to cause the objects to come to rest on the innerend of the conveyor. The conveyor table is then withdrawn fromunder theobject until its back end rests upon the ledge 23'. An object inthisposition can be pushed. by the conveyor table into the remote end of thetruck a distance equal to the full length of the conveyor table.

As I have mentioned, the apparatus of my invention previously describedis well suited for these processes of loading, but my processes may alsobe accomplished with an overhead crane or similar device.

Although I' have described and illustrated the present preferredembodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is.not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied or practiced withinthe scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for loading material comprising in combination a conveyortable provided with supporting means at one end thereof, a tractorprovided with an elevated forwardly projecting boom, a hoist cableadapted to operate over this boom andtermin'ating in first means forengaging the conveyor table at a point intermediate its ends, aforwardly and upwardly projecting arm provided at its upper end withsecond means for engaging the conveyor table at its supported end andpivoted at its lower end to the front of the tractor for movement in avertical plane whereby the conveyor table is lifted, and means foryieldably positioning the forwardly projecting arm on the tractoradapted to bring about self-adjusting engagement of the second means forengaging the conveyor table with the conveyor table when the tractor andconveyor table are brought together.

2. Apparatus for loading material comprising in combination a conveyortable provided with supporting means at one end thereof, a tractorprovided with an elevated forwardly projecting boom, a hoist cableadapted to operate over this boom and terminating in first means forengaging the conveyor table at a point intermediate its ends, aforwardly and upwardly projecting arm provided at its upper end withsecond means for engaging the conveyor table at its supported end andpivoted at its lower end to the front of the tractor for movement in avertical plane whereby the conveyor table is lifted, means for yieldablypositioning the forwardly projecting arm on the tractor adapted to bringabout self-adjusting engagement of the second means for engaging theconveyor table with the conveyor table when the tractor and conveyortable are brought together, detent means for holding the forwardlyprojecting arm in a position whereby the conveyor table is lifted clearof the ground, and guide means extending horizontally from the front ofthe tractor positioned to engage and steady the top of the liftedconveyor table.

3. Apparatus for loading material comprising in combination a conveyortable provided with supporting means at one end thereof, a tractorprovided with an elevated forwardly projecting boom, a hoist cableadapted to operate over this boom and terminating in first means forengaging the conveyor table at a point intermediate its ends, aforwardly and upwardly projecting arm provided at its upper end withsecond means for engaging the conveyor table at its supported end andpivoted at its lower end to the front of the tractor for movement in avertical plane whereby the conveyor table is lifted, means for yieldablypositioning the forwardly projecting arm on the tractor adapted to bringabout selfadjusting engagement of the second means for engaging theconveyor table with the conveyor table when the tractor and conveyortable are brought together, an arcuate spur rearwardly attached to theupper end of the forwardly projecting arm and having a transverse slottherein, a dog movably attached to the tractor cooperating with the slotto hold the forwardly projecting arm in a fixed position, and means forreleasing the dog.

4. Apparatus for loading material comprising in combination a conveyortable provided with supporting means at one end thereof, a tractorprovided with an elevated forwardly projecting boom, a hoist cableadapted to operate over this boom and terminating in a hook, a forwardlyand upwardly projecting arm pivoted at its lower end to the front of thetractor for movement in a vertical plane whereby the conveyor table islifted and provided at its upper end with a hook having a rounded noseadapted to slide under the supported end of the conveyor table, a notchbehind the nose adapted to hold the conveyor table end in engagementtherewith, an upright stop behind. the notch, and a rearwardlyprojecting arcuate spur, and a spring member connecting the end of thearcuate spur and the tractor positioning the forwardly projecting armfor self-adjusting engagement with the conveyor table and restrainingyieldably the further movement of such arm.

EDWARD J. IVIERTES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 596,322 Carpenter Dec. 28, 1897 1,751,717 Romine Mar. 25, 19301,818,289 White Aug. 11, 1931 2,061,495 Woodruff Nov. 17, 1936 2,186,463Maine Jan. 9, 1940 2,379,094 Maxon June 26, 1945 2,432,182 Turner Dec.9, 1947 2,445,614 Flynn et a1. July 20, 1948 2,536,151 Backofen et alJan. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 174,537 Great BritainFeb. 2, 1922

